CN plans to acquire 1,000 new generation high-cube grain hopper cars over the next two years to rejuvenate the aging equipment needed to serve increasing annual crop yields. The cars will be built by National Steel Car Ltd. in Hamilton, Ontario.

CN is buying new, 55-foot eight-inch jumbo hopper cars with 5,431 cubic feet of capacity. CN’s 12,000-car Western Canadian grain fleet is comprised of CN-owned hoppers, leased cars and private customer equipment. The new hopper cars will allow the phase out of older, lower-capacity cars from the CN-owned and leased fleet, which has an average age of more than 30 years.

“We are very pleased that CN recognizes the benefits of our industry leading, high efficiency, 5,431-cubic-foot grain hopper car. As a result of this order commitment from CN, National Steel Car’s Hamilton assembly operations will add over 300 new full-time employment opportunities,” said Gregory J. Aziz, Chairman & CEO of National Steel Car.

“Coupled with CN’s order for 350 centrebeam lumber cars, this additional 1,000 grain car purchase will result in the hiring of more than 550 additional people at our Hamilton facility, which currently employees over 1,500,” he said.

“This substantial investment in higher capacity payload hopper cars, with up to 10 per cent more capacity than the older generation, demonstrates our commitment to safely, efficiently and reliably moving the steadily increasing Prairie grain crop for our customers,” said JJ Ruest, Interim President & CEO of CN.

“I am very pleased to hear that CN is using the positive conditions brought in by Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act, to invest in new hopper cars. This decision will help grow the agricultural sector by ensuring farmers are able to reliably get their products to market,” said Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay.

“Canada’s grain hopper cars are rolling toward the end of their lives,” said Kyle Jeworski, President & CEO of Viterra. “Over the last several years, Viterra has made significant, targeted investments in its country grain elevator network, and we welcome this major investment and commitment by CN to get Prairie grain to world markets.”

As part of CN’s $3.4 billion capital program in 2018, the company is investing in new trade-enabling infrastructure this spring and summer, including building $400 million worth of new track and yard capacity to more efficiently handle increased traffic across CN’s West Coast to Chicago corridor.

CN recently purchased 200 new GE locomotives to expand capacity for all customers, the first 60 of which will start to come online in June. Also, this year CN is acquiring 350 new lumber cars and leasing 350 new boxcars to boost our fleet serving forest products and metals business.

CN continues to hire, and approximately 1,250 more qualified train conductors will be in the field before next winter, compared to the number of conductors available heading into this past winter.